Pump for conveying paste-like flowable materials

Abstract

A pump for conveying flowable paste-like materials, including a conveyer line which has a plurality of conveyer elements sequentially arranged in the longitudinal direction of the conveyer line to selectively displace and release at least a part of the volume of material conveyed by the conveyer line. The pump possesses a working chamber consisting of an annular chamber externally bounded by a housing of the pump and interiorly by a cylinder. The conveyer elements incorporate bellows elements each in the form of a ring of an elastically extensible material acted upon by a pressure medium at a side opposite the material being conveyed, with the bellows elements being formed by a common hose-like bellows which is retained on an inner wall of the housing. A support ring is located between respectively each of the bellows elements for retaining the bellows on the inner wall, with pressure lines located between the support rings and passing through the housing to open into the annular chamber. A control device causes a pressure source and a vacuum source to be alternatively connectable with the pressure lines, with the housing being closed by two end walls in each of which there is selectively provided at least one of an input and output opening.

I claim: 
     
       1. A pump (1) for conveying flowable paste-like materials, including a conveyor line (2) comprising a plurality of conveyor elements (3a to 3d) sequentially arranged in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor line (2) and being movable transversely of the conveyor line selectively displace and release at least a part of the volume of material conveyed by said conveyor line, said pump having a working chamber (7) consisting of an annular chamber externally bounded by a housing (5) of the pump (1) and interiorly by a cylinder (17), the conveyor elements (3a to 3d) comprising bellows elements (24a to 24d) each in the form of a ring of an elastically extensible material acted upon by a pressure medium at a side opposite the material being conveyed, said bellows elements being formed by a common hose-like bellows (24) which is retained on an inner wall (5a) of the housing (5), a support ring (23a to 23d) being located between respectively each of the bellows elements (24a to 24d) for retaining the bellows (24) on said inner wall (5a), pressure lines (18a to 18d) located between said support rings (23a to 23d) and passing through the housing (5) to open into said annular chamber, a control means (4) for causing a pressure source (22) and a vacuum source (21) to be alternatively connectable with the pressure lines, the housing (5) being closed by two end walls (9, 11) in each of which there is selectively provided at least one of an input and output opening (12, 13). 
     
     
       2. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the housing (5) of which at least one of said end walls is integrally formed and the other end walls is detachably attached to the housing. 
     
     
       3. A pump according to claim 2, wherein the inlet end wall (9) has a central inlet opening (12) and a radial conveyer line communicating with the working chamber (7). 
     
     
       4. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the wall (5a) against which the bellows (24) bears in a neutral position thereof includes rounded annular grooves in the plane of the support rings. 
     
     
       5. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the bellows (24) has at least at one free edge thereof, a respectively inner and outer flange (24f, 24e) through which the bellows is form-fittingly arranged and tensioned in a recess (26) and between the housing (5) and an associated end wall (9, 11).